Ruben Amorim struggles as English Premier League’s other Portuguese coaches thrive
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Ruben Amorim has not had the best of starts in his reign as Manchester United manager, winning four, losing five and drawing one game so far.
PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON – Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim arrived at Old Trafford a little over a month ago with a glowing reputation and backed by many to finally be the man to turn around the club’s flagging fortunes.
Ten games into his reign, the former Sporting Lisbon boss has not only struggled to ignite the Red Devils’ season, but he has also been outshone by the English Premier League’s three other Portuguese coaches.
Amorim has won four, lost five and drawn one of his matches in charge in all competitions and his stuttering side are 14th in the table after losing four of their last five league games.
The task does not get any easier, with a home clash on Dec 30 against Newcastle United, who have won their last three fixtures in the Premier League with a scoreline of 11-0.
United captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off for the third time this season in the 2-0 loss at Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek and they conceded direct from a corner for the second time in three matches.
The skipper and fellow midfielder Manuel Ugarte are both suspended for the clash against Newcastle.
Add the impasse with out-of-favour forward Marcus Rashford, whom Amorim left out of his squad for the fourth successive match, and the problems are piled high for the 39-year-old.
“The manager of Manchester United can never, no matter what, be comfortable, and I know the business that I’m in,” admitted Amorim on Dec 27.
“I know that if we don’t win... regardless of if they paid the buyout (clause to sign me) or not, I know that every manager is in danger and I like that. I like that because that is the job.”
His failure to even get a “new manager bounce” is in stark contrast to the situation at Wolves, where compatriot Vitor Pereira has had two straight wins since replacing Gary O’Neil.
Pereira enjoyed a dream first home game on Dec 26 as his side beat United to climb out of the relegation zone.
Another Portuguese manager has also got the better of Amorim since he took over – Nottingham Forest’s Nuno Espirito Santo.
Forest’s 3-2 win against United earlier in December was their first success at Old Trafford in almost 30 years, and Nuno has now led the Midlands club to a remarkable fourth in the table.
While Forest are a point off third-placed Chelsea, United are closer to the drop zone than the top four.
After the Newcastle match, Amorim’s men visit leaders Liverpool, plus Arsenal in the FA Cup, so things could get worse before they get better.
There is another Portuguese coach vastly outperforming Amorim too.
Fulham’s Marco Silva on Dec 26 masterminded the club’s first win at Chelsea since 1979 – a 2-1 result that left them in eighth spot, one point behind fifth-placed Newcastle.
With United having paid an €11 million (S$15.6 million) release fee to bring Amorim to Old Trafford, there is little chance that his job is under threat.
But he will be aware that the Premier League can be an unforgiving environment, as Nuno knows only too well after being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur three years ago.
The fact is the squad Amorim has inherited needs a major overhaul. He knows next summer will be a crucial transfer window if he is to build foundations for a new era of success.
Whether the club’s minority investors Ineos are willing to invest is another matter, as boss Jim Ratcliffe has lately been more concerned with cost-cutting measures like cancelling a Christmas party and also raising ticket prices.
Former United great and fellow Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo believes Amorim will get it right, but needs to be backed.
“I said this one year and a half ago and I will continue to say it – the problem is not the coaches,” he said on Dec 27 at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, where the Al Nassr forward was named Best Middle East Player of 2024.
“It’s like the aquarium and you have the fish inside and it’s sick, and you take him out and fix the problem. If you put it back in the aquarium it will be sick again. This is the problem of Manchester United. It is the same.” REUTERS, AFP
